It is fortunate that Buddhists now enjoy the freedom and a secure atmosphere necessary to celebrate Vesak. We must enter a spiritual and virtuous way of life in order to sustain that joy, stated President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his message for Vesak.

Let us resolve during this Vesak Day to follow the wholesome path of Buddha with determination and relentless efforts to build a virtuous nation, he added.

Following is the full text of the message:

Vesak Full Moon Day which marks the birth of prince Siddhartha, His Enlightenment and Parinibbana is the noblest religious event for all Buddhists. We can spend this day meaningfully by engaging in Buddhist ritual and practice.

We who observe the five precepts do not approve killing, bloodshed and torture. It brings joy to celebrate this Vesak after closing the sorrowful chapter of thirty years of bloodshed and destruction of life. It is fortunate that Buddhists now enjoy the freedom and a secure atmosphere necessary for that purpose. We must enter a spiritual and virtuous way of life in order to sustain that joy.

A path of love (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (muditha) and equanimity (upekkha) should be followed. Ours should be a nation which is not shortsighted but farsighted and committed to achieve consolation through patience as taught by Buddha. If delays in the past obstructed our path to Nibbana, we should learn to avoid such delay.

“If one was heedless in the beginning but is not so afterwards, he will illuminate this world as the moon emerges through the cloud”, thus Buddha taught.

Those who live virtuous lives will not see the faults of the past and grieve in the present. Let us resolve during this Vesak Day to follow the wholesome path of Buddha with determination and relentless efforts to build a virtuous nation.